nak right now but i am very upset and would like to get a letter writing campaign going.
an employee at Universal studios told me i was not allowed to breastfeed Josa in the park. I informed her that florida law states that i am allowed to breastfeed wherever i am allowed to be and she tried to tell me b/c it was a private park they had diffrent rules, i told her "no, Flroida law states that i can breastfeed WHEREVER i am" she pushed it and i just kept repeating "florida laws protects me" dh got clued into what was happening when he heard that (and my voice rising as the adrenaline pumped). She finally dropped it and asked "well would you like a private room to go to?" i told her "nope" and she walked away.
I was so pissed, dh said he wished she had kicked us out so we could have sued them. ( i am glad they didn't b/c we had fun for the next two days and NOONE else said anything to me, just that one employee. It really pisses me off b/c other mothers might not know they are protected by law. I will be writing universal and telling them about the incident, and informing them that they better train all of there employees about the law b/c if not they could end up with a law suit on there hands.
besides we just got a two year pass so i will be going back and i don't want that happening again.
please e-mail at
guestservices@universalorlando.com
here is my letter
July 30, 2007
To Whom it May Concern,
I would like to report an incident that happened at your Universal Studios Park, Orlando. I am extremely upset, as many other people will be. On July 27, 2007 my husband and I came to your park with our children. We have purchased two year passes and I dearly hope we are not accosted like we were on our first visit. We were waiting in The Terminator store for our family to come out of the ride and my daughter was hungry so I began to breastfeed her. An employee approached me and informed me that I was not allowed to breastfeed there and I had to cover up. I informed her that according to Florida law a woman is allowed to breastfeed anywhere she is allowed to be.
Fla. Stat. Ann. § 383.015
1993 Fl. ALS 4; 1993 Fla. Laws ch. 4; 1993 Fla. HB 231
The breast feeding of a baby is an important and basic act of nurture which must be encouraged in the interests of maternal and child health and family values. A mother may breast feed her baby in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether or not the nipple of the mother's breast is covered during or incidental to the breast feeding.
The employee then informed me that Universal Studio’s was a private park and I was not allowed to breast feed. I reiterated that Florida Law protects breastfeeding mothers. She continued to push the subject with me and I just kept repeating that I was protected under Florida Law. My husband hearing the commotion came to stand near me at which point your employee dropped the argument and asked if I wanted a private room to nurse my child in. I informed her that I did not, and she walked away.
I am deeply upset on a number of levels. Not only personally, but for other mothers who might be accosted and not know the laws. The harassment of breast feeding mothers needs to stop. You, at Universal Studios, need to properly train your employees on Florida Law. No mother should have to argue with an employee of the park regarding something that is protected by law. I am sorry to say I was so upset by this encounter that I failed to get the employees name because if I had it I would demand that action be taken. I hope you realize that other amusement parks who have given trouble to breast feeding mothers are facing law suits and nurse-ins. I am not going to do that, but I am informing you of this incident and informing other mothers and breast feeding advocates as to what happened at your park.
Sincerely,
Courtney Smith
an employee at Universal studios told me i was not allowed to breastfeed Josa in the park. I informed her that florida law states that i am allowed to breastfeed wherever i am allowed to be and she tried to tell me b/c it was a private park they had diffrent rules, i told her "no, Flroida law states that i can breastfeed WHEREVER i am" she pushed it and i just kept repeating "florida laws protects me" dh got clued into what was happening when he heard that (and my voice rising as the adrenaline pumped). She finally dropped it and asked "well would you like a private room to go to?" i told her "nope" and she walked away.
I was so pissed, dh said he wished she had kicked us out so we could have sued them. ( i am glad they didn't b/c we had fun for the next two days and NOONE else said anything to me, just that one employee. It really pisses me off b/c other mothers might not know they are protected by law. I will be writing universal and telling them about the incident, and informing them that they better train all of there employees about the law b/c if not they could end up with a law suit on there hands.
besides we just got a two year pass so i will be going back and i don't want that happening again.
please e-mail at
guestservices@universalorlando.com
here is my letter
July 30, 2007
To Whom it May Concern,
I would like to report an incident that happened at your Universal Studios Park, Orlando. I am extremely upset, as many other people will be. On July 27, 2007 my husband and I came to your park with our children. We have purchased two year passes and I dearly hope we are not accosted like we were on our first visit. We were waiting in The Terminator store for our family to come out of the ride and my daughter was hungry so I began to breastfeed her. An employee approached me and informed me that I was not allowed to breastfeed there and I had to cover up. I informed her that according to Florida law a woman is allowed to breastfeed anywhere she is allowed to be.
Fla. Stat. Ann. § 383.015
1993 Fl. ALS 4; 1993 Fla. Laws ch. 4; 1993 Fla. HB 231
The breast feeding of a baby is an important and basic act of nurture which must be encouraged in the interests of maternal and child health and family values. A mother may breast feed her baby in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether or not the nipple of the mother's breast is covered during or incidental to the breast feeding.
The employee then informed me that Universal Studio’s was a private park and I was not allowed to breast feed. I reiterated that Florida Law protects breastfeeding mothers. She continued to push the subject with me and I just kept repeating that I was protected under Florida Law. My husband hearing the commotion came to stand near me at which point your employee dropped the argument and asked if I wanted a private room to nurse my child in. I informed her that I did not, and she walked away.
I am deeply upset on a number of levels. Not only personally, but for other mothers who might be accosted and not know the laws. The harassment of breast feeding mothers needs to stop. You, at Universal Studios, need to properly train your employees on Florida Law. No mother should have to argue with an employee of the park regarding something that is protected by law. I am sorry to say I was so upset by this encounter that I failed to get the employees name because if I had it I would demand that action be taken. I hope you realize that other amusement parks who have given trouble to breast feeding mothers are facing law suits and nurse-ins. I am not going to do that, but I am informing you of this incident and informing other mothers and breast feeding advocates as to what happened at your park.
Sincerely,
Courtney Smith
and Angela, 2 years
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Good for you for standing your ground & following up! Let us know if you get a response!
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). They draw international crowds and I have a hard time believing that they have a policy of asking nursing mothers to move. I have nursed my own baby there without incident on more than one occasion.
